Day 26: Film with Great Philosophies
For this one I’m stretching my choice just to a thought-provoking favourite: “The Golden Calf” or Золотой телёнок (1968), adapted from the Ilf and Petrov novel on confidence trickster Ostap Bender. Much like yesterday’s film, Bender is on a mission to win riches and live the good life in South America. In the Wild West of post-Civil War/NEP Russia, Ostap gathers an unlikely gang to steal the fortune of a secret millionaire, and escape to Rio de Janeiro. The ending is no different than the classic law-abiding British or American crime caper, but there is a unique satirical angle to accumulating wealth under communism, and as always the viewer is endeared to the handsome and charming, cunning and ambitious Bender - you swing between admiring and questioning his anti-socialist, laid-back anarchy and his chameleon-like ability to adopt or claim power (should he, you ask? Should all, none?). Eventually it becomes apparent this individual cannot successfully conjure or secret away wealth from where there seems to be none, his wild, genius plans collapse and he must collide (physically even) with his world and its rules. Much like Alec Guinness’ Dutch, you know his intricate schemes are morally, legally wrong, but his obsessive dream to take flight to a tropical haven is an escapist pleasure anyone can share at least a little Xo
For this one I’m stretching my choice just to a thought-provoking favourite: “The Golden Calf” or Золотой телёнок (1968), adapted from the Ilf and Petrov novel on confidence trickster Ostap Bender. Much like yesterday’s film, Bender is on a mission to win riches and live the good life in South America. In the Wild West of post-Civil War/NEP Russia, Ostap gathers an unlikely gang to steal the fortune of a secret millionaire, and escape to Rio de Janeiro. The ending is no different than the classic law-abiding British or American crime caper, but there is a unique satirical angle to accumulating wealth under communism, and as always the viewer is endeared to the handsome and charming, cunning and ambitious Bender - you swing between admiring and questioning his anti-socialist, laid-back anarchy and his chameleon-like ability to adopt or claim power (should he, you ask? Should all, none?). Eventually it becomes apparent this individual cannot successfully conjure or secret away wealth from where there seems to be none, his wild, genius plans collapse and he must collide (physically even) with his world and its rules. Much like Alec Guinness’ Dutch, you know his intricate schemes are morally, legally wrong, but his obsessive dream to take flight to a tropical haven is an escapist pleasure anyone can share at least a little Xo
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